Wonderful afternoon read, a joy to curl up with furry friends and forget everything else.

This is a delightful cozy mystery debut of a fun new series. The premises is a upscale doggie day care owned by Sue and her partner Athena. When Athena arrives in town they discover their employee has been murdered in their van of dogs left in the van. As the story evolves Sue and Athena are in danger of losing their business as they are accused of murder and held under suspicion. They must join forces to solve the murder and save their business. As the investigation progresses they are holding a fund raiser which may save the day for their business.
I loved this story and found the mystery very well crafted. The addition of dogs is always fun and enjoyable . I look forward to the next in series .
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC which did not influence my review.

Sue Patrick is the owner of Buckingham Pet Palace, an upscale doggy daycare in Lewes, Delaware. She and her staff are preparing for the arrival of her partner from London, Lady Anthea Fitzwater. Instead of Lady Fitzwater's visit bringing good fortune to the kennels, a murder of one of the staff takes place and Sue and the other staff must discover the killer before they are driven out of business.

Love the idea of people being "pet parents." A true pet lover refers to themselves as "Mommy," or "Daddy,"yet I had never heard that particular phrase as opposed to "owner."

 There is a slightly, developing romance between Sue and the police chief. Trouble is, he dislikes and is scared of dogs.  Should be interesting to see how the author, Lane Stone, treats this impossible situation.

 While I enjoyed Stay Calm and Collie On, there were a few words and situations I would have been happy to miss. Otherwise a very interesting new series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. All opinions are my own. No positive review was required.

A nice start to a new series. The doggie day care theme is fluid enough to allow the main characters lots of room to investigate using dogs as their cover. The descriptions of the settings could be expanded. I had the feeling this mystery could have been set anyplace in America. As for the mystery, it was adequate for a cozy. Sue is trying to keep her business afloat after one of her employees is found murdered in the company van while delivering the dogs to their homes after a day at the doggie daycare, The Pet Palace. As soon as the customers hear of the crime they can't wait to put distance between themselves and Sue. Along with her visiting British business partner, Lady Anthea, she sets out to find the killer. To their credit, Sue and Lady Anthea have respect for the local police and don't run all over town getting in the way. The ending hints at more to be learned about Lady Anthea and that will probably be the hook that gets me to consider reading the next entry in this series.

<http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=64374>

I admit it, the collie on the cover totally sold me on the book. I've never known an actual collie but I've had a soft spot for them since the TV show, "Lassie", and reading (many times), "Lassie Come-Home". I did read the blurb, and it sounded appealing, so I requested the book.

Sue and Anthea, owners of the Pet Palace and the leads in the story, were interesting and Anthea was a bit mysterious, though I did predict some of what would happen with her. They worked well together, trying to keep their business from going under and solving the mystery. The ending did somewhat come out of the blue but I enjoyed the mystery and the story. I loved the setting and seeing how the doggy daycare and spa worked. The animals themselves were not a major part of the story, which was disappointing. "Stay Calm and Collie On" was a solid story and a good start to the series.

Stay Calm and Collie on is a delightful pet cozy that is certain to leave animal lovers with a smile.  

Sue Patrick and Lady Anthea Fitzwalter are wonderfully paired.  While Sue is practical and a skilled businesswoman, Lady Anthea has ample experience managing people. Together they must find the killer of Buckingham Pet Palace’s driver - who was found dead in the back of the Palace’s van, surrounded by dogs.  Rumors are circulating about the Palace’s safety and customers are leaving in droves.  It’s up to Sue and Anthea to save the Palace’s reputation in time for the Pet Parent Appreciation Gala.

Stay Calm and Collie On is a low stress read.  Sue and Lady Anthea aren’t suspects, so the main tension is related to keeping their customers.  There is also a delightful bit of romantic interaction between Sue and the local Sheriff.  Their interactions always left me with a grin because they were the perfect mix of sweet and humorous.  Expect plenty of British witticisms and Elvis related humor.  Lane’s attention to detail is what makes Stay Calm and Collie On special - from the groomers’ outfits to Sue’s knowledge of Elvis songs.  

Besides being filled with a copious quantity of pooches, Stay Calm and Collie On is filled with humor, action and just the right amount of romance.  I definitely look forward to the next cozy in this series.  

5 / 5

I received a copy of Stay Calm and Collie On from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review

--Crittermom

Stay Calm and Collie On by Lane Stone is the first book in A Pet Palace Mystery series. Sue Patrick co-owns Buckingham Pet Palace with Lady Anthea Fitzwalter. Sue has been busy getting everything ready for Lady Anthea’s visit including a Pet Parent Appreciation Gala (a doggy gala). Soon after Lady Anthea arrives, Sue gets a call from the police stating the Buckingham Pet Palace van has been found abandoned at the Lewes Ferry Terminal. Henry Cannon was driving the dogs home and only one made it to its destination. Sue and Lady Anthea arrive and discovers Henry dead in the back of the van along with the dogs. Business takes an immediate nosedive when rumors abound that the dogs were being smuggled out of the country. Sue and Lady Anthea realize they need to sniff out the killer or their new business venture will be over before its begun.

Stay Calm and Collie On did not feel like a finished novel. It seemed like a rough draft in need of polishing (and some rewriting). I thought the story had a decent pace, but I felt some key details are missing. We are not given enough information on Sue Patrick. Readers are given details on the business and how she came to be in contact with Lady Anthea. I wanted to know more about Sue (I found out more about the gala than about Sue). The story lacked focus. It jumped around (reminded me of a dog twirling in circles chasing its tail). Plus, did we need so many references to surfing and Elvis Presley. The mystery is not complicated and the killer can be deduced early in the book. The suspect list is extremely small. I just wanted more substance and less fluff. There are some cute scenes with dogs and humorous dialogue. For readers who enjoy light, humorous cozy mysteries (with emphasis on cozy), then pick up a copy of Stay Calm and Collie On.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

This is a strong start to what looks to be a charming new series! Sue Patrick runs an upscale doggie day care and spa. When her business partner comes to visit, they are thrown into solving a murder when the company van full of dogs ends up abandoned, except for the dead body of the driver.
With enchanting main characters, a strong mystery full of suspects, and a suspenseful yet humorous plot, this first book is definitely a royal treat. I cannot wait for more from this author, especially to learn even more about the characters and watch them develop. This is definitely a story worth reading over and over again.

The Buckingham Pet Palace has a British co-owner who arrives to inspect her investment. The Lewes, Delaware US side of the upscale doggy daycare and spa co-owner Sue Patrick, knows the business, and generally has a good crew who caters to their furry clientele. That is, until one of them goes off the puppy pad just about the time Lady Anthea Fitzwalter arrives from across the pond to investigate her asset. Henry is found deceased in a van with several dogs he was supposed to be taking home. So much for first impressions!
It's a cozy mystery--they don't generally bog you down, AND, bonus, this one is also about dogs. In this novel, Sue charges ahead when she doesn't wholly trust the new sheriff in town, John Turner, who she finds generally cryptic and sometimes antagonistic. He is plodding and stoic, not at all to Sue's liking when she experiences a deafening drop in clientele at the time they are trying to promote their doggy gala. (yes, a gala--don't ask)
Rumors are spread that the driver was attempting to abscond with the pampered pooches to Canada. Then, as rumors usually do, stories get twisted and whole new theories pop up. It's evident Sue will need to take charge if she wants to rescue the Pet Palace reputation and save the (to date) successful co-ownership with Lady Anthea, who at this point, has begun to interject some interesting English ideas of her own. There are a few humorous scenes, LOL moments or dialogue, and I enjoyed Ms. Stone's turn of phrase, style of writing. Descriptions of the rural, coastal community and inhabitants have you bobbing your head in accord.
Ms. Stone has furred out some very interesting characters, dogs as well as people, and I liked her cast of characters, including her BFF Shelby and the teenage part-time worker. Lady Anthea looks to be a good straight woman to Sue's strong protagonist character and they balance each other out very well.
On the whole, a good start to a new series that looks to be very promising.
Was not, however, a fan of the climax; the closing scene with the antagonist. Is there another way to tie up loose ends?
I was given this digital download from Lyrical Underground and NetGalley and really appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended as a jolly fun cozy mystery, easy and quick to read, and for anyone who enjoys the canine inclusion. As an ARC, would give 3.5 stars.

A delightful cozy mystery. Light, humorous, a bit of Brit, and a hint of romance. Being a fan of Elvis and dogs helped add to my enjoyment. Small town relationships. I look forward to reading the next one in this new charming series.

Stay Calm and Collie On

by
Lane Stone

A Review

A pet spa, a British matron, and a collection of characters that are enamered with Elvis Presley all contribute to a great mystery and a fun story.

The story takes place in Lewes, DE, a small coastal town sitting at the lower reaches of the Delaware River. New to town is the propriator of Buckingham Pet Palace - and it is her employee Henry that is found dead in the store’s delivery van. The case seems to focus on the dogs that Henry is transporting back to their owners - but there is more. The many references to other cozy mysteries and art history woven into the story may for a great setting for a murder mystery.

The police chief was not a lover of dogs, but he would need the help of Sue Patrick, Lady Anthea Fitzwalter, and the other members of the Buckingham Pet Palace staff if this murder was to be solved.

If you like dogs, if like Elvis Presley, if you like British slang, you will like this cozy mystery. I can only hope that Lane Stone will be creating more novels set in Lewes, Delaware.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Fun! A nice start to a new cozy series. If you like dogs, mysteries that aren't too twisty (but have some red herrings), and an intrepid pair of female amateur detectives, this one's for you. I liked that Stone used Lewes Delaware as her setting. She's created two cool characters in Sue and Anthea, who can be seen as an odd couple but they've got a common goal and a good dose of common sense. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one for a quick, entertaining read that never gets twee. I'm looking forward to more from Stone.

Sue Patrick loves her upscale Doggie Daycare and Spa, Buckingham Pet Palace. Located in Lewes, Delaware the spa caters to dogs, offering grooming, boarding, daycare....all the doggie amenities. Sue is excited because her business partner is travelling from England to visit the spa. Unfortunately, just as Lady Anthea Fitzwalter is arriving, things suddenly turn bad. The pet spa's van is discovered near the Lewes ferry terminal, with a load of dogs left abandoned inside. Well, not exactly abandoned....the corpse of the van's driver is inside as well. Soon rumors start that the spa employee was dognapping the pampered pooches and was murdered before he could get away. As customers dwindle at the dog spa, Sue and Lady Althea start investigating to find out who killed their driver and why. The fate of their business venture is at stake!

Although not really very realistic, I thought the idea of the upscale doggie day care with a British flare was cute. Cozies don't have to be realistic, so I just shut off that portion of my brain and enjoyed the story. Sue is an intelligent and capable main character. Lady Althea jumped right in to help and proved to be quite an asset. The duo works well together. I can't wait to see how their business partnership and friendship progresses.

The mystery moved along at a nice pace with plenty of suspects and sleuthing. The background theme is cute and enjoyable, and doesn't overpower the mystery portion of the plot. All in all, a very enjoyable, relaxing read. It was a nice book to read on a cool, crisp autumn night with my dog on my lap (of course). The cover is cute (as with most cozies). This is a shorter cozy so I was able to read it easily in one day. Nice start to a new series! I will definitely be reading more!

For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.lanestonebooks.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Stay Calm and Collie On is the first book in Lane Stone’s Pet Palace Mystery series. The storyline is well plotted and the well-developed characters are delightful. I found the mystery to be interesting, with lots of red herrings and twists and turns, mixed with laugh aloud humor. There is a good mix of character background, furry friends, mystery, multiple suspects, action, and some flirting going on in this evenly paced whodunit. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Sue Patrick is the owner of an upscale doggy daycare and spa, Buckingham Pet Palace, which is located in the seaside town of Lewes, Delaware. She partnered with Lady Anthea Fitzwalter of England two years ago, through Global She, an international organization of female small business owners. Sue is able to use Lady Anthea’s likeness, name, and reputation to help promote Buckingham Pet Palace and in return, Lady Anthea receives a percentage of the profits.
Sue has never met Lady Anthea because all their transactions were made online. Lady Anthea is visiting the states just in time for Buckingham’s Pet Parent Appreciation Gala and Sue is nervous because they’ve never met and she wants to impress her. Shortly after Lady Anthea’s arrival, they start receiving calls from three upset pet parents whose pets haven’t returned home after spending the day at Buckingham’s. They are unsuccessful in their attempts to contact their driver, Henry Cannon, and then John Turner, the new sheriff of Lewes, calls to inform them Buckingham’s van has been found, driverless, with unhappy dogs locked inside. When Sue and Lady Anthea arrive and unlock the van, they find Henry. They’re concerned about the future of Buckingham’s since Henry was found murdered in their company van and rumors quickly spread that he was taking the dogs across the Canadian border to sell them. Lady Anthea turns out to be a warm and caring woman and she and Sue immediately hit it off, and they team up to try to save their business and find out who murdered Henry.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

The start of another fun cozy mystery series involving pets, this time around dogs and one boarding kennel in particular, Buckingham Pet Palace. From the beginning I liked Sue and the unlikely Anthea (who has a mystery of her own going on) and the chemistry they had solving murders together. They've been business partners, but now it's so much more and hopefully will develop into a beautiful friendship later on.

I was kind of thrown a little by the pacing, and because of Sue's unknown feelings at the moment the romance wasn't clear. Obviously this sets up for the rest of the series, but Sue is a bit of an enigma. I felt like at times the plot raced around in circles and we weren't getting anywhere, which was frustrating when trying to solve a mystery.

Overall I though this was a solid beginning and I enjoyed it, but not as much as other first books in cozy series. Three stars.

This is a fun, colorful debut. Lane Stone has created an enjoyable cozy mystery, filled with murder, intrigue and a cast of likeable characters.
Sue Patrick owns Buckingham Pet Palace and she devotes her time to pampering pets. Sue owns the business with her partner, Lady Anthea Fitzwalter, who happens to be in town for a week.
When Sue receives a phone call from the chief of police, things quickly fall into a downward spiral.
She can't afford to lose customers and she and Lady Anthea decide to investigate the mystery on their own.

I really did enjoy this book. It was fast paced and well written.
The story captured my interest from the very beginning, and as a pet parent, I enjoyed reading about the her love of pets.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

Stay Calm and Collie On by Lane Stone was a great beginning to what I hope is a new series.

Sue Patrick was a strong and independent protagonist that I really liked. Her attitude toward relationships piqued my interest; and I hope that there will be more light shed on this as this series (I hope) continues. Her partner, Lady Anthea Fitzwalter was also likeable and surprised me as she jumped into the action with Sue. The picturesque setting in this small town of Lewes, Delaware was unique for me. I don't believe that I have ever read a book set in Delaware. Ms. Lane's descriptive writing of the town made me feel at home. Sue's best friend,Shelby and the other staff members at the Buckingham Pet Palace were charming and added to the plot as they all seemed to be involved in ferreting out the murderer. John Turner, the new sheriff of Lewes is intriguing. I liked that he listened to Sue and Lady Fitzwalter when they came across clues to aid his investigation.

The plot moved swiftly with twists, turns and several suspects. With unique characters, humor and a well plotted mystery, I actually read this book in an afternoon because I was totally engaged in the story.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

I loved this engaging new mystery from the very first page. It is filled with interesting and unusual characters, a compelling plot, descriptions of the lovely Delaware coast line and a variety of loveable dogs. Sue Patrick is a fortyish woman who has spent several years in various jobs involving dogs and has finally opened her dream shop, Buckingham Pet Palace, a grooming, day care and boarding facility for dogs. She was looking into how to best market her new businees when, through an international woman's business organization, she was paired with Lady Anthea from London who gave her the name and cachet of an English title. Lady Anthea is making her first visit to the states and Sue has planned a big gala in her honor, but as soon as Lady Anthea arrives Sue is called by the police and finds out that Henry, her van driver who picks up and delivers the day care dogs, has been murdered in the van. When rumors start to fly that Henry was kidnapping and selling the dogs in Canda, and business at the Pet Palace drops off, Sue and Lady Anthea launch their own investigation. This was a great start to what I hope will become a new series as I would love to see more of these intrepid women.